


A Christmas Bean

by CallipygianGoldfish



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Pets, hamster - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-27
Updated: 2015-12-27
Packaged: 2018-05-09 18:41:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5551166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallipygianGoldfish/pseuds/CallipygianGoldfish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Realistically, Bucky knows there’s no way in hell a couple like them can adopt anything other than a cactus. There’s always too much going on, too many battles, and never enough time. Steve, however, has other ideas, which include a pet shop, some mistletoe, and a very happy Bucky Barnes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Christmas Bean

**Author's Note:**

  * For [johanirae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/johanirae/gifts).



> Inspired by johanirae’s beautiful holiday cards, because they are the sweetest, and I am a sucker for anything featuring these two. Warnings ahead for gratuitous rodents, because sue me, I love Bucky, small fluffy things, and Christmas.

“Oh my god, Steve, look.” 

“No.”

“But-”

“No. Whatever you want to do, no. Whenever you use that tone of voice, I either get shot, stabbed, or one memorable time, I think we both did.” Steve stopped walking and turned in the street, looking back to find an elated Bucky pressed against the glass of a shop window. Winter in New York always produced the best window displays, and Steve had already seen several automated train sets and reindeer, complete with a tiny moving Iron Man. 

Bucky didn't care his fingers were being frozen against the cold glass, only that he should get as close as possible to the shop contents. Which, Steve admitted when he saw what Bucky was staring at, did deserve his adoration.

“Do they... Can we...” Unable to articulate the words, Bucky swiveled to Steve and gave him a hopeful grin. “Please?”

“Aw, Buck.” Steve could feel his face making a scrunching motion, and he thought about the best way to phrase this. “It's really not ideal, our situation. Maybe if we lived in the suburbs and had the time? We'd have to really think about it, I dunno.”

“Nah, it's okay.” Bucky sighed. “I get it.” Catching Steve's fingers between his own, Bucky pulled him onwards down the street, leaving the basket of rabbits behind them in the pet shop window.

*

“Steve.” 

“Mmph.” Steve was dimly aware of someone prodding his cheek softly, but chose to ignore it in favor of the warmth of his bed.

“Steeeve...” The voice whined and prodded more violently.

“Later, 'ucky, got sleep.”

“Oh for fuck's sake,” Bucky said, ripping the covers off Steve and piling them on the floor. Steve shuddered as the cold air hit his skin, and tried to burrow deeper into his pillow. “C'mon, it's Christmas day in the 21st century, we've got a ton of food to eat through and I even got you a present.”

“I'm up,” Steve declared, sitting up quickly and stumbling towards the door with a sneaky swat at Bucky's ass on the way. “I am so up, happy Christmas Buck!”

The early morning passed in a blur of glitter, ribbon and too much chocolate, exactly the way they'd agreed it should be. Gifts of all kinds exchanged, they'd agreed as a group to spend the morning with their respective partners, then the afternoon eating together and sleeping it off. The whole team was home for the occasion, and the mansion was full of an eclectic array of homemade, designer, and Asgardian decorations. The tree in their own quarters was sparkly, decorated in distinctive silver and blue baubles which were Tony's idea, and neither Steve nor Bucky would admit that they loved it. Bucky was flicking through a cookery book when Steve stood up, placing his new Bucky Bear plushie on the couch beside them.

“Hang on for a sec, almost forgot one last one.” Steve left their quarters to go next door, coming back a few minutes later with a large ribboned box, which shook as he carefully brought it in.

“Is that... Alive? Oh no, you didn't get me one of Tony's roombas did you?” Bucky groaned as Steve placed the box on the ground in front of him, air holes included. “We had enough trouble with them last year.”

“Just open it, will ya?” Smiling, Steve sat down next to him under the tree and watched as Bucky lifted the lid. A mess of hay and a pile of nuts announced that the box was occupied, and Bucky sent a questioning look at Steve as he slowly took away the hay from the little nest. Resembling a jet-black jelly bean, a small pile of fuzz sat in the corner. It twitched, and a nose and set of whiskers sniffed at the air.

“Oh, Steve.” Bucky opened his mouth to say more, closed it again, and simply looked at Steve.

“Well, I went in to look at rabbits, because you're right, they're pretty damn cute, but I got sidetracked. She's a Syrian hamster, up for adoption, and I kinda thought of you.” Steve smiled as Bucky stared into the beady eyes of the tiny rodent. The hamster stared right back, then suddenly turned around and spun in circles around her box.

“Why does she do that?” Bucky asked, after a few minutes of watching her spin. She paused for a moment, shook herself, then ran in another spiral, ending up facing a cardboard wall. 

“Ah, that was why she was up for adoption. She needs special care, she's fine, but her brain doesn't work quite the way it should. She'll run like that every few minutes, but it doesn't seem to hurt her unless she collides with something,” Steve explained, noticing Bucky's flesh hand creeping towards the box. “Go on, pick her up. And I promise she hasn't sat in there for more than two minutes, Clint let me keep her next door in his old room.”

Gently, ever so carefully as if he might break her with a touch, Bucky slid a hand under the turning hamster and lifted her out the box.

“She's so small.”

“I know.” Looking at the tiny animal sheltered in Bucky's hands, Steve knew he'd made a very good decision. “She'd been there for a while, no one wanted the extra effort of looking after her, even though we got a leaflet and everything.”

Bucky's eyes narrowed. “I don't understand why, she's adorable.”

“Yeah, it’s strange. I mean, someone's obviously got her used to being handled, maybe they just couldn't keep her anymore?”

“But look, she's got little floof floofs for feet and everything!” Bucky said, gently poking at her very short legs. Steve gave up trying to be responsible and rolled his eyes with a smile. 

“She is pretty sweet, I'll say that. What are you gonna call her?” he asked, regretting his question already as Bucky grinned and a glint appeared in his eye.

“Bean.” He said it with a finality that held no room for negotiation, and Steve knew it was no use arguing. 

“Bean it is then.” The newly christened Bean nuzzled Bucky's stomach where she was sat in his lap, and started to chew the wrinkles in his jeans. After a while she seemed to shake herself, and then started to run around on the floor in front of him again.

“Makes mine look a little tacky now, huh?” Bucky looked ruefully at the personalized bear he'd given Steve, which Steve was clutching to his chest.

“Not at all.” Planting a kiss on Bucky's forehead, Steve nodded towards the hamster. “This is sort of for both of us. She's yours, but I want my fair share of cuddles.”

“Help yourself. But uh, what changed your mind? I mean, we're still Avengers right? She can't exactly wear armor and come with us on missions.”

“It occurred to me that there's always someone here, yeah? The Mansion's never empty, and she doesn't need as much constant companionship as say, a dog.”

“So we're sharing her?” Bucky gave him a doubtful look. 

“Oh no, she's ours. But I asked a few of the others, they're all perfectly happy to look after her when they're around. They're all quite involved actually, I bet if you don't look out, Wanda'll knit her a jumper too.” 

Bucky snorted. “You think I'm going to stand in the way of whatever Wanda wants? Nope, she can make Bean a Christmas pudding hat for all I care.”

“Actually, that'd be pretty swell,” Steve noted. “She could add a bit of holly on the top, keep her warm.”

“With a little uniform, she'd be a perfect mascot,” Bucky added. “And did everyone know? About her, I mean.”

“Uh, for a Mansion full of very sneaky people, I'm actually surprised you didn't find out before now. Seeing as you're meant to be, you know, a spy?” Steve smirked at Bucky. 

“Punk.” Bucky said absently, stroking Bean's back as she spun around his finger.

“Yep. Oh, hold on,” Steve said, standing up. “I forgot, I got some other stuff for her, and her cage.” Bucky was far too fascinated with Bean to even notice him leaving the room. When Steve returned, laden down with a cage, tunnels, and weird ladders, he found Bucky lying on his back, Bean perched on his chest. She seemed intent on eating one of his shirt's buttons, and Bucky was staring at her in adoration, one finger running over her ears. Almost unwilling to break the peaceful scene, Steve plopped down beside them.

“Cute,” he remarked, watching as Bean's nose and whiskers twitched as she gnawed. “She's settling in then?” 

Stopping mid-chew, Bean turned in a few circles before slowly sliding off Bucky's chest. Bucky cupped his hands protectively around her as she slipped, metal fingers careful against her body. When he was sat up again with her tucked into his shirt pocket, he grinned at Steve.

“She's doing just fine. You said you got some other stuff for her?”

“Oh yeah,” Steve grabbed the cage and pointed out some features to Bucky. “I got Tony to adapt some ladders for her, make them bigger and sturdier so if she has a turn on the stairs she'll be okay. And the base of the cage is a special kind of rubber, he made it softer for her.”

Bucky watched with interest, rubbing Bean's ears. “Look at that Bean, Uncle Tony's been very nice to you. Shall we go say thank you, hmm?” Bean ignored Bucky and started burrowing down in his breast pocket. Bucky looked back at Steve. “She says yes. Plus, I'm starving.”

“Right then, let's go see the others.”

“Can Bean come?”

“Well, I did tell Natasha we'd be bringing her, so I think it's probably best if she did come. Although you should probably keep her away from Clint if Phil isn't around, there's no telling what he'll feed her.” Steve shuddered at the thought.

“Good point. She can stick with me.” Proudly heading out their rooms, Bucky suddenly stopped in the doorway, then slowly turned back to Steve.

“Thank you,” he said quietly, pecking Steve on the cheek, careful of Bean between them. Steve smiled down at her and kissed Bucky back.

“You're very welcome. Now c'mon, we don't wanna keep Natasha waiting.”

“Hell no.” Bucky frowned slightly in concentration. “Hey, do you think she'll like sprouts?”

“Really?” Steve asked, lips turning up inadvertently. “You're going to feed her sprouts, the worst thing humanity has ever decided to put in their mouths? Fine. On one condition.”

“Hey, don't knock the sprouts, you don't cook 'em right. What's the condition?”

“Later you'll kiss me under the mistletoe in front of Stark, just to prove that 90 year olds do in fact have sex lives.”

“Done.”

*

And so that's how the Avengers came to have Christmas dinner with an indignant Tony Stark, a Bucky bear, and a hamster called Bean running in circles around the roast potatoes. They wouldn't have it any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Come visit me on tumblr? My username is exactly the same, callipygiangoldfish.tumblr.com :)


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